Hoops HD

Under The Radar (and other News and Notes) – Friday, January 27th

Posted on January 27, 2023 by John Stalica

For the latest HOOPS HD BRACKET RUNDOWN Video Podcast where we build a seedlist line by line on the air and debate each of the teams as we go – CLICK HERE

Iona (13-6, 6-2) at Siena (13-7, 7-2) – 7:00 PM ET (ESPNU)

Tonight’s UTR Game of the Day takes us to Albany for one of the more anticipated matchups in the Metro Atlantic between the Iona Gaels and the Siena Saints. Iona got off to a quick 4-0 start in conference play, but they have leveled off a bit with a 2-2 stretch that has seen a home win against Fairfield and a road win at Manhattan mixed in with a blowout loss at Quinnipiac and at home against Rider. Daniss Jenkins has averaged 16.3 points a game and 4.8 assists a game for Iona.

Siena has also hit a bit of a rough patch in conference play with losses in 2 of their last 3 games, but they are in first place by a half game over Iona going into tonight. Both losses were a bit surprising – the first one being a road loss at Canisius and the second one being a home loss against Fairfield sandwiched around a home win against Mount St. Mary’s. Javian McCollum averages 15.8 points a game and 3.8 assists a game.

-NEWS, NOTES, AND HIGHLIGHTED GAMES (From the Puppet):

-USC got a big (and much needed) 77-64 win over UCLA. The Trojans completely dominated the second half outscoring the Bruins by 25 and actually blew the game open in the final minutes after being down double digits for much of the first half.

-Michigan State held off Iowa 63-61 and is slowly making their resume look more and more impressive. Iowa’s overall record is just 12-8, and they do have one really bad loss to Eastern Illinois, but there is still enough good on their resume to where they should stay inside the bubble if they can just hold serve the rest of the way.

-One of the most exciting games of the night was one you probably slept through. UC Santa Barbara went out to Hawaii and scored in the final seconds to pick up a 65-64 road win at a place that is not easy to win at. The Gouchos are now 17-3 on the year, and yesterday was probably their most impressive win of the season. They probably still need to win the Big West Tournament to make the field, which won’t be easy, but they will potentially be a very dangerous team in the Round of 64.

-Kent State is back home tonight against Buffalo and if they want any shot at all at landing inside the bubble they need to win out. New Mexico is also at home against Air Force tonight.

Posted in CBB on TV, Daily Rundown, News and Notes, Under the Radar | Tagged iona, MAAC, Siena, under the radar | Comments Off

Hoops HD Bracket Rundown – Thursday, Jan 26th

Posted on January 26, 2023 by David Griggs

NOTE: This broadcast was recorded at 10pm, est on Thursday, January 26th. No games that went final after that, particularly UCLA vs USC or Arizona at Washington State, were considered when creating this bracket.

Chad and the panel build a seedlist line by line and debate, discuss, and assess each team as they go. Find out who they have on the #1 lines so far, who is safely in, who still has work to do, and who on the bubble just made it in and just missed it.

Below is a final copy of the bracket, but don’t look at it until you’ve watched the show!!

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

Posted in Bracketology, Podcasts, Videocasts | 1 Comment

Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Thursday, Jan 26th

Posted on January 26, 2023 by David Griggs

NEWS AND NOTES:

-For our latest UNDER THE RADAR Video Podcast – CLICK HERE

-For John Stalica’s UTR Game of the Day – CLICK HERE

EDIT: I think the combination of a staff worker, player, or just some regular fan that’s at a basketball game that just brazenly orders DoorDash, and then a delivery guy that is such an airhead that he is genuinely oblivious to the fact that he’s disrupting a the game is both hilarious and kind of cool. However, I think staging this stunt just so they can go viral on TikTok is actually kind of pathetic. This went from being my favorite thing that happened yesterday (and perhaps all season long) to me thinking everyone involved is stupid in a far less personable way than it originally appeared. So, I’ve deleted the link

-Alabama trialed Mississippi State at home for most of the game, but held on to win 66-63 in the end. It would have been a huge win for Mississippi State had they pulled it off and perhaps gotten them back within reach of the bubble, but as it stands now they’ve lost eight of their last nine.

-Xavier picked up a really nice road win at UConn last night 82-79. It may be the biggest win of the year for Xavier so far considering that it was on the road. UConn is in a tailspin having lost six of their last eight after starting off the season 14-0, but as our friend John Stalica observed Xavier is a big reason as to why they’ve lost six of their last eight.

-Texas A&M picked up a HUGE 79-63 win at Auburn that in my opinion flips the switch from them being outside the bubble to being inside of it. TAMU is the only team that has won at Auburn (my favorite stat), and while they were very sluggish prior to Christmas they’ve won all but one of their games since then (the loss at Kentucky), and are starting to build a profile that looks like a tournament caliber profile.

-Pittsburgh and Wake Forest squared off in a bubblicious match-up that had a pivotal feel to it for both teams, and Pitt held on to win at home in a close one 81-79.

-Wisconsin has not just stubbed their toes, but has slipped on the ice and broken their ankle. After looking really good for a stretch, they’ve now lost five of their last six, and last night they were just completely blown out 73-55 at Maryland. That cannot be confidence inspiring.

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:

-MIDDLE TENNESSEE AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC (Conference USA). FAU is in the rankings and inside the bubble and should go into the NCAA Tournament on the first ballot so long as they keep holding serve.

-SMU AT MEMPHIS (American). Memphis is squarely on the bubble and it is crucial that they do not slip up in games like this, which are home games against teams that are nowhere near the bubble.

-IOWA AT MICHIGAN STATE (Big Ten). Both teams are in our field right now, but both still have some work to do in order to become more stable. This game is a good opportunity for both teams to build up their resumes by picking up another notable win.

-SEATTLE U AT SAM HOUSTON (WAC). It’s not likely that either team will reach the bubble, but both could be dangerous in the Round of 64 if one of them happens to win the automatic bid. Sam Houston racked up wins against Oklahoma and Utah out of conference and while they’ve dropped some games in league play they are still capable of playing at a high level. Seattle U is trying to hang on to first place in the standings and will be tested in a big way tonight.

-PURDUE AT MICHIGAN (Big Ten). I keep thinking it’s time to write Michigan off, but whenever I do they win a notable game. This would be VERY notable considering Purdue is the #1 overall team and on pace to get a #1 seed.

-UCLA AT USC (Pac 12). Lots going on in this one. It’s a rivalry game, UCLA is on pace to get a protected seed and depending on how things play out may still have an outside shot at a #1 seed, and USC is trying to get back into the field. USC’s profile needs some work, but on the court the team appears to be getting better and they almost upset UCLA at Pauley Pavilion the first time they played.

-UTAH VALLEY AT SOUTHERN UTAH (WAC) (Bee Hive). Utah Valley is having an outstanding year and are in the hunt to win the WAC and perhaps get a serious look from the committee if they can win out.

-ARIZONA AT WASHINGTON STATE (Pac 12). At first glance Arizona should win this one easily, but it’s not a slam dunk. Wazzu actually won the first meeting between these two at Arizona and has proven to be very tough to beat.

-ARIZONA STATE AT WASHINGTON (Pac 12). Arizona State is squarely on the bubble, so every game they play seems to have a pivotal feel to it.

-UTAH AT OREGON STATE (Pac 12). Utah is outside of our bubble, but they are definitely close enough to it to reach it and they need to take advantage of what appears to be a winnable road game tonight.

Posted in Daily Rundown, News and Notes | Comments Off

Under The Radar Game of the Day – Thursday, January 26th

Posted on January 26, 2023 by John Stalica

UC-Santa Barbara (16-3, 7-1) at Hawai’i (15-5, 6-2) – 12:00 AM ET (ESPN+)

Some days you save the best for last – tonight’s UTR Game of the Day leaves the mainland and goes to Hawai’i where the Rainbow Warriors host the UCSB Gauchos. Even after a 9-game winning streak was snapped with a 65-64 home loss to UC-Riverside, the Gauchos have gotten back on track with a 3-game winning streak. It began with a win at UC-Irvine and more recently included a 76-58 win against Bakersfield where Miles Norris led the Gauchos with 24 points.

Since winning the Diamond Head Classic, Hawai’i has held serve at home with four straight wins in the Big West. They are only 2-2 on the road in conference play, but the last game was a 67-63 road win that knocked UC-Riverside out of a first place tie in the conference. Jovon McClanahad had 19 points to lead Hawai’i in the aforementioned win against Riverside.

Posted in CBB on TV, Daily Rundown, News and Notes, Under the Radar | Tagged Big West, Hawaii, UC Santa Barbara, under the radar | 1 Comment

Under the Radar – Wednesday, Jan 25th

Posted on January 25, 2023 by David Griggs

Tonight’s feature conference is the Horizon League, which is having a bit of a down year collectively, but has two great stories in Milwaukee who’s having their best year in a long time, and Youngstown State that’s having their best year in history that we can remember. Both teams are neck and neck at the top of the standings, and Northern Kentucky is in the mix as well.

From there we move on to the other 22 UTR leagues and discuss how Vermont has played their way back to the top of the America East, Liberty appears to be asserting themselves in the ASun, and a hugely exciting race is heating up in the Sun Belt with Marshall and Southern Miss near the top, but with as many as five other teams that could win the league. There is now a six way tie for first place in the Ohio Valley after SIUE had a week where they lost two straight at home. Oral Roberts is dominating the Summit League, and Kent State, who we thought had a chance of landing inside the bubble, suffered a damaging loss on the road to Northern Illinois. We discuss all that, and more! And, as we do every week, we close with this week’s UTR Top Ten.

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

Posted in Podcasts, Under the Radar, Videocasts | 1 Comment

WINNING with the Hoyas!

Posted on January 25, 2023 by Jon Teitel

HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel will spend the upcoming months covering several Georgetown basketball home games, with (hopefully) a very special reward coming in March. He has spent most of the past 2 years watching them lose 29 Big East games in a row, many of them in person…but see below for his photo essay about a funny thing that happened when DePaul came to DC last night.

After bagels/water at GW last weekend it was nice to get a filling pregame meal again: Chick-fil-A sandwich/nuggets, mac & cheese, and a brownie/chocolate chip cookie for dessert! Let’s tip it off for the hundreds and hundreds of folks in attendance:

The Big East always rises to the occasion for Coaches vs. Cancer. This year was no different as the entire Georgetown contingent of players/coaches donned pink sneakers for the big night:

Even the mascot has gotten tired of cheering for this team and needed to catch his breath…but did he have to sit down right in front of me?

Hoyas JR SG Wayne Bristol Jr. has been inconsistent this year but remains a good shooter. He had a very nice 1st half with 7 PTS on a 3/jumper/layup but went scoreless in the 2nd half:

His backcourt teammate Primo Spears was coming off of the game of his life (37 PTS/11 AST at Xavier last Saturday) and his jump shot kept going in as Georgetown built a 36-30 lead with 2 minutes left before halftime:

Unfortunately, those final 2 minutes belonged entirely to DePaul. SR PG Umoja Gibson helped lead his team back, and his 3 from the top of key helped his team finish a 7-0 run to take a 37-36 halftime lead, which is a bigger deal than you might think because the Blue Demons are 7-0 this year when leading at halftime:

DePaul SR F Javan Johnson had a big 2nd half to finish with 13 PTS before fouling out, but he and Gibson were the only 2 visitors in double-digits:

I assumed that Hoyas coach Patrick Ewing would just give the ball to Spears and hope that he could win it all by himself, but it turned into a total team effort, with Qudus Wahab hitting the boards (10 REB):

…and Jordan Riley getting into the lane for layups/scoop shots:

…and Brandon Murray having his best all-around game of the month with 12 PTS/5 AST/4 STL:

Georgetown built a double-digit lead late and ALMOST blew it but they hung on to win 81-76 and secure their 1st Big East victory in 693 days. I left my seat in the final minute so that I could get some nice video of the impending court storm…but it never came to pass. Ewing walked over for a quick postgame interview and it was nice to see him smiling after finally getting a W:

In the postgame press conference I asked Akok Akok (who had 12 PTS/6 REB/4 BLK) whether this was just another win or if it felt different/special. He claimed that it was just another win and that they are trying to flip the page. His team is ready to work hard and is looking forward to its next game vs. St. John’s in New York City on Sunday:

There was also a nice moment after the game when Ewing congratulated Rich Chvotkin, who has been the “Voice of the Hoyas” for the past 49 years, on winning the 2023 Woody Durham Voice of College Sports Award:

That is a wrap on the Hoyas’ historic win, and was also their final home game of this month, so check back in February to see if I can actually work the phrase “winning streak” into my next game recap!